Cliftonville F.C.

Frankie Parks Marty Quinn (October 1994 – October 1999) Liam Beckett Eddie Patterson (22 July 2005 – 1 April 2011) Tommy Breslin (26 May 2011 – 15 September 2015) Gerard Lyttle (September 2015 – March 2017) Barry Gray (9 May 2017 – 19 January 2019) Paddy McLaughlin (4 February 2019 – 17 April 2023) Jim Magilton (6 June 2023 – present)

Founders of football in Ireland

The foundation of Cliftonville F.C. was announced on 20 September 1879 in notices in the Belfast News-Letter and Northern Whig, which asked "gentlemen desirous of becoming members" of the "Cliftonville Association Football Club (Scottish Association Rules)" to communicate with John McAlery, a young Belfast businessman and manager of the "Irish Tweed House", Royal Avenue, and later with premises in Rosemary Street, or R.M. Kennedy, and advertising an "opening practice today at 3.30". Only one week after the advertisement was published, Cliftonville played its first recorded game at Cliftonville Cricket Ground against a selection of rugby players known as Quidnunces, the game took place on 29 September 1879. The newly formed club, however, was beaten 2–1. In its first match against the Scottish club Caledonian, it fared worse: a 1–9 defeat. In 1880, it was again John McAlery who was the moving spirit in the formation of the Irish Football Association. He issued an invitation to interested parties in Belfast and district for a meeting to be called. The first meeting took place on 18 November 1880 at Queen's Hotel, Belfast, presided over by John Sinclair, from which the Irish Football Association was formed. While Major Chichester was appointed president, McAlery became the honorary secretary of the association. This meeting also paved the way for the Irish Cup.

Early years

The first Irish Cup final, played at Cliftonville on 9…

Senior honours

Irish League Championship: 5 (inc. 1 shared) 1905–06 (shared), 1909–10, 1997–98, 2012–13, 2013–14 Irish Cup: 9 1882–83, 1887–88, 1896–97, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1978–79, 2023–24 Northern Ireland Football League Cup: 7 2003–04, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2021–22, 2024–25 County Antrim Shield: 11 1891–92, 1893–94, 1897–98, 1925–26, 1978–79, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2019–20 Charity Shield: 2 1998, 2014 Gold Cup: 3 1922–23, 1932–33, 1980–81 Floodlit Cup: 1 1995–96 Belfast Charity Cup: 10 1883–84, 1885–86, 1886–87, 1887–88, 1888–89, 1896–97, 1905–06, 1907–08, 1908–09, 1923–24 Alhambra Cup: 1 1922–23

Intermediate honours

Irish League B Division: 1 1953–54† B Division Section 2/Reserve League/NIFL Premiership Development League: 6 1980–81†, 2000–01†, 2011–12†, 2013–14†, 2015–16†, 2019–20† Irish Intermediate Cup: 3 1895–96†, 1899–1900†, 1901–02† George Wilson Cup: 5 1999–2000†, 2007–08†, 2012–13†, 2015–16†, 2016–17† Steel & Sons Cup: 6 1899–1900†, 1901–02†, 1906–07†, 1907–08†, 1913–14†, 1921–22† McElroy Cup: 1 1919–20† Clarence Cup: 1 1932–33‡ † Won by Cliftonville Olympic (reserve team)‡ Won by Cliftonville Strollers (reserve team)

Junior honours

Irish Junior Cup: 5 1888–89†, 1892–93†, 1904–05‡, 1908–09‡, 1932–33‡ † Won by Cliftonville Olympic (reserve team)‡ Won by Cliftonville Strollers (reserve team)